Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stern warning to Iran on Friday. He declared that Tehran is attempting to establish a dangerous tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio argued that the international community must firmly reject the illegal power grab.
The top American diplomat delivered the remarks from Helsingborg, Sweden. He traveled to the European country this week to attend a vital meeting of NATO foreign ministers. Rubio used the platform to alert global allies about the growing threat to the crucial maritime chokepoint.
"They're trying to convince Oman, by the way, to join them in this tolling system in an international waterway," Rubio explained. "There is not a country in the world that should accept that."
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Rubio noted that the Iranian regime appears to be the only government supporting the scheme. "I don't know of a country in the world that's in favor of it, except Iran, but there's no country in the world that should accept it," he stated.
The Secretary of State emphasized that allowing the tolling system would set a disastrous global precedent. "I don't know of anyone in the world that should be in favor of a tolling system in an international waterway, that's just not acceptable," Rubio added. "It can't happen."
He warned that surrendering control of the Strait of Hormuz could spark similar extortion attempts elsewhere. "If that were to happen in the Strait of Hormuz, it will happen in five other places around the world," Rubio cautioned. "Why would countries all over the world say, 'Well, we want to do this too'?"
Rubio also highlighted the severe economic consequences of restricting the waterway. "Not to mention how vital and critical that strait is to every country represented here today, but frankly, to countries not represented here today, particularly the Indo-Pacific," he concluded.